In known internal combustion engines, each bearing cap is held against the contact surfaces of its bearing web by means of at least two screws, located on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the crankshaft. As an example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,464,746, shows a V-type internal combustion engine having such a crankshaft support arrangement.
The placement of at least two screws per bearing cap requires an expenditure for two through bores in the bearing cover, two corresponding threaded bores in the bearing block, and two screws for each together with the cost of installation of the two screws in each instance. A further cost results from the fact that the high vertical forces which occur when the piston moves downward must be fully absorbed by the bearing cap, so that the latter and its two screws must be very substantial.
The problem on which the invention is based is that of creating an internal combustion engine of the type initially mentioned, such that its crankshaft support is as simply designed as possible and therefore can be produced as economically as possible.